Monte Carlo Simulation for Slope Stabilization Using Drilled Shafts

A reliability based analysis method for a drilled shaft stabilized slope system is presented in this paper. The drilled shaft stabilization mechanisms for the slope were treated as the drilled shaft induced soil arching, which was quantified by the load transfer factor in the limited equilibrium analysis. However, due to the inherent uncertainties of the soil properties and the model error of the semi-empirical load transfer equation, an extension modification of the deterministic method into a probabilistic method is developed in this paper. The MCS （Monte Carlo simulation） with log-normal random variables has been employed to calculate the probability of failure （Pf） for the drilled shafts/slope system. The developed theories were coded into a computer program for analyzing complex slope geometry and slope profile conditions. Finally, a case study has been performed to illustrate the application analysis of the developed probability approach in drilled shafts/slope system.

Evaluation of Limestone Interval in the Drilled Surface Section of Bn-1 Oil Well

The first exploration oil well in any oil block consumes in general more time and cost than the other wells in the same block. Evaluating the drilled wells serves to improve the future operations. This paper evaluates the drilled surface section through real field data for the first exploration oil well drilled in one of the oil blocks, in Kurdistan north of Iraq. The surface section of the well was drilled with the conventional method to penetrate many different geological formations with tight intervals. Drilling efficiency and the difficulties encountered are discussed and explained using various data sources. All daily drilling reports concerning a specific interval were studied. This includes weight on bit, string rotation, mud pump flow and penetration rate. Evaluation was carried out by analyzing the used controllable drilling parameters with the formations features. Penetration of the Pila Spi formation (Middle Eocene) was the most difficult formation in the drilled section. Microsoft Office 365 Pro Plus used in making graphs and Excel tables. Evaluations showed that the conventional technology used left many negative effects, like increase in None Productive Time NPT, cost and ground water pollution. Simultaneous Casing Drilling method proposed as an alternative method for the future campaign.

Beyond p-y method:A review of artificial intelligence approaches for predicting lateral capacity of drilled shafts in clayey soils

In 2023,pivotal advancements in artificial intelligence(AI)have significantly experienced.With that in mind,traditional methodologies,notably the p-y approach,have struggled to accurately model the complex,nonlinear soil-structure interactions of laterally loaded large-diameter drilled shafts.This study undertakes a rigorous evaluation of machine learning(ML)and deep learning(DL)techniques,offering a comprehensive review of their application in addressing this geotechnical challenge.A thorough review and comparative analysis have been carried out to investigate various AI models such as artificial neural networks(ANNs),relevance vector machines(RVMs),and least squares support vector machines(LSSVMs).It was found that despite ML approaches outperforming classic methods in predicting the lateral behavior of piles,their‘black box'nature and reliance only on a data-driven approach made their results showcase statistical robustness rather than clear geotechnical insights,a fact underscored by the mathematical equations derived from these studies.Furthermore,the research identified a gap in the availability of drilled shaft datasets,limiting the extendibility of current findings to large-diameter piles.An extensive dataset,compiled from a series of lateral loading tests on free-head drilled shaft with varying properties and geometries,was introduced to bridge this gap.The paper concluded with a direction for future research,proposes the integration of physics-informed neural networks(PINNs),combining data-driven models with fundamental geotechnical principles to improve both the interpretability and predictive accuracy of AI applications in geotechnical engineering,marking a novel contribution to the field.

Drilling-based measuring method for the c-φ parameter of rock and its field application

The technology of drilling tests makes it possible to obtain the strength parameter of rock accurately in situ. In this paper, a new rock cutting analysis model that considers the influence of the rock crushing zone(RCZ) is built. The formula for an ultimate cutting force is established based on the limit equilibrium principle. The relationship between digital drilling parameters(DDP) and the c-φ parameter(DDP-cφ formula, where c refers to the cohesion and φ refers to the internal friction angle) is derived, and the response of drilling parameters and cutting ratio to the strength parameters is analyzed. The drillingbased measuring method for the c-φ parameter of rock is constructed. The laboratory verification test is then completed, and the difference in results between the drilling test and the compression test is less than 6%. On this basis, in-situ rock drilling tests in a traffic tunnel and a coal mine roadway are carried out, and the strength parameters of the surrounding rock are effectively tested. The average difference ratio of the results is less than 11%, which verifies the effectiveness of the proposed method for obtaining the strength parameters based on digital drilling. This study provides methodological support for field testing of rock strength parameters.

Synthetic polymers:A review of applications in drilling fluids

With the growth of deep drilling and the complexity of the well profile,the requirements for a more complete and efficient exploitation of productive formations increase,which increases the risk of various complications.Currently,reagents based on modified natural polymers(which are naturally occurring compounds)and synthetic polymers(SPs)which are polymeric compounds created industrially,are widely used to prevent emerging complications in the drilling process.However,compared to modified natural polymers,SPs form a family of high-molecular-weight compounds that are fully synthesized by undergoing chemical polymerization reactions.SPs provide substantial flexibility in their design.Moreover,their size and chemical composition can be adjusted to provide properties for nearly all the functional objectives of drilling fluids.They can be classified based on chemical ingredients,type of reaction,and their responses to heating.However,some of SPs,due to their structural characteristics,have a high cost,a poor temperature and salt resistance in drilling fluids,and degradation begins when the temperature reaches 130℃.These drawbacks prevent SP use in some medium and deep wells.Thus,this review addresses the historical development,the characteristics,manufacturing methods,classification,and the applications of SPs in drilling fluids.The contributions of SPs as additives to drilling fluids to enhance rheology,filtrate generation,carrying of cuttings,fluid lubricity,and clay/shale stability are explained in detail.The mechanisms,impacts,and advances achieved when SPs are added to drilling fluids are also described.The typical challenges encountered by SPs when deployed in drilling fluids and their advantages and drawbacks are also discussed.Economic issues also impact the applications of SPs in drilling fluids.Consequently,the cost of the most relevant SPs,and the monomers used in their synthesis,are assessed.Environmental impacts of SPs when deployed in drilling fluids,and their manufacturing processes are identified,together with advances in SP-treatment methods aimed at reducing those impacts.Recommendations for required future research addressing SP property and performance gaps are provided.

Conventional Geothermal Systems and Unconventional Geothermal Developments: An Overview

This paper provides an overview of conventional geothermal systems and unconventional geothermal developments as a common reference is needed for discussions between energy professionals. Conventional geothermal systems have the heat, permeability and fluid, requiring only drilling down to °C, normal heat flow or decaying radiogenic granite as heat sources, and used in district heating. Medium-temperature (MT) 100°C - 190°C, and high-temperature (HT) 190°C - 374°C resources are mostly at plate boundaries, with volcanic intrusive heat source, used mostly for electricity generation. Single well capacities are °C - 500°C) and a range of depths (1 m to 20 Km), but lack permeability or fluid, thus requiring stimulations for heat extraction by conduction. HVAC is 1 - 2 m deep and shallow geothermal down to 500 m in wells, both capturing °C, with °C are either advanced by geothermal developers at <7 Km depth (Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), drilling below brittle-ductile transition zones and under geothermal fields), or by the Oil & Gas industry (Advanced Geothermal Systems, heat recovery from hydrocarbon wells or reservoirs, Superhot Rock Geothermal, and millimeter-wave drilling down to 20 Km). Their primary aim is electricity generation, relying on closed-loops, but EGS uses fractures for heat exchange with earthquake risks during fracking. Unconventional approaches could be everywhere, with shallow geothermal already functional. The deeper and hotter unconventional alternatives are still experimental, overcoming costs and technological challenges to become fully commercial. Meanwhile, the conventional geothermal resources remain the most proven opportunities for investments and development.

A real-time intelligent lithology identification method based on a dynamic felling strategy weighted random forest algorithm

Real-time intelligent lithology identification while drilling is vital to realizing downhole closed-loop drilling. The complex and changeable geological environment in the drilling makes lithology identification face many challenges. This paper studies the problems of difficult feature information extraction,low precision of thin-layer identification and limited applicability of the model in intelligent lithologic identification. The author tries to improve the comprehensive performance of the lithology identification model from three aspects: data feature extraction, class balance, and model design. A new real-time intelligent lithology identification model of dynamic felling strategy weighted random forest algorithm(DFW-RF) is proposed. According to the feature selection results, gamma ray and 2 MHz phase resistivity are the logging while drilling(LWD) parameters that significantly influence lithology identification. The comprehensive performance of the DFW-RF lithology identification model has been verified in the application of 3 wells in different areas. By comparing the prediction results of five typical lithology identification algorithms, the DFW-RF model has a higher lithology identification accuracy rate and F1 score. This model improves the identification accuracy of thin-layer lithology and is effective and feasible in different geological environments. The DFW-RF model plays a truly efficient role in the realtime intelligent identification of lithologic information in closed-loop drilling and has greater applicability, which is worthy of being widely used in logging interpretation.

In situ digital testing method for quality assessment of soft soil improvement with polyurethane

This study purposes an in situ testing method on quality assessment of soil improvement.Factual drilling data includes the spatial distribution and in situ strength of untreated and treated soil along three different drillholes measured by on-site drilling monitoring method.These factual drilling data can characterize the degree of soil improvement by penetration injection with permeable polyurethane.Result from on-site drilling monitoring shows that the linear zones represent constant drilling speeds shown in the plot of drill bit advancement vs.net drilling time,which indicates the spatial distributions of soil profile.The soil profile at the study site is composed of four layers,which includes fill,untreated silty clay,treated silty clay,and mucky soil.The results of soil profile are verified by the parallel site loggings.The constant drilling speeds profile the coring-resistant strength of drilled soils.By comparing with the untreated silty clay,the constant drilling speeds of the treated silty clay have been decreased by 13.0-62.8%.Two drilling-speed-based indices of 61.2%and 65.6%are proposed to assess the decreased average drilling speed and the increased in situ strength of treated silty clay.Laboratory tests,i.e.uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)test,have been performed with core sample to investigate and characterize in situ strength by comparing that with drilling speeds.Results show that the average predicted strengths of treated silty clay are 2.4-6.9 times higher than the average measured strength of untreated silty clay.The UCS-based indices of 374.5%and 344.2%verified the quality assessment(QA)results by this new in situ method.This method provides a cost-effective tool for quality assessment of soil improvement by utilizing the digital drilling data.

Wellbore-heat-transfer-model-based optimization and control for cooling downhole drilling fluid

To address the two critical issues of evaluating the necessity of implementing cooling techniques and achieving real-time temperature control of drilling fluids underground in the current drilling fluid cooling technology,we first established a temperature and pressure coupled downhole heat transfer model,which can be used in both water-based and oil-based drilling fluid.Then,fourteen factors,which could affect wellbore temperature,were analyzed.Based on the standard deviation of the downhole temperature corresponding to each influencing factor,the influence of each factor was quantified.The influencing factors that can be used to guide the drilling fluid's cooling technology were drilling fluid thermal conductivity,drilling fluid heat capacity,drilling fluid density,drill strings rotation speed,pump rate,viscosity,ROP,and injection temperature.The nondominated sorting genetic algorithm was used to optimize these six parameters,but the optimization process took 182 min.Combining these eight parameters'influence rules with the nondominated sorting genetic algorithm can reduce the optimization time to 108 s.Theoretically,the downhole temperature has been demonstrated to increase with the inlet temperature increasing linearly under quasi-steady states.Combining this law and PID,the downhole temperature can be controlled,which can reduce the energy for cooling the surface drilling fluid and can ensure the downhole temperature reaches the set value as soon as possible.

The Conversion of Non-Dispersed Polymers into Low-Potassium Anti-Collapse Drilling Fluids

Different drillingfluid systems are designed according to mineral composition,lithology and wellbore stability of different strata.In the present study,the conversion of a non-dispersed polymer drillingfluid into a low potas-sium anti-collapsing drillingfluid is investigated.Since the two drillingfluids belong to completely different types,the key to this conversion is represented by new inhibitors,dispersants and water-loss agents by which a non-dispersed drillingfluid can be turned into a dispersed drillingfluid while ensuring wellbore stability and reason-able rheology(carrying sand—inhibiting cuttings dispersion).In particular,the(QYZ-1)inhibitors and(FSJSS-2)dispersants are used.The former can inhibit the hydration expansion capacity of clay,reduce the dynamic shear force and weaken the viscosity;the latter can improve the sealing effect and reduce thefiltrate loss.The results have shown that after adding a reasonable proportion of these substances(QYZ-1:FSJSS-2)to the non-dispersed polymer drillingfluid,while the apparent viscosity,plastic viscosity,structural viscosity andfluidity index under-went almost negligible changes,the dynamic plastic ratio increased,and thefiltration loss decreased significantly,thereby indicating good compatibility.According to the tests(conducted in the Leijia area),the density was 1.293 g/cm3,and after standing for 24 h,the SF(static settlement factor)was 0.51.Moreover,thefiltration loss was reduced to 4.0 mL,the rolling recovery rate reached 96.92%,with excellent plugging and anti-collapse performances.

Testing method of rock structural plane using digital drilling

The rock mass consists of rock blocks and structural planes,which can reduce its integrity and strength.Therefore,accurately obtaining the characteristics of the rock mass structural plane is a prerequisite for evaluating stability and designing supports in underground engineering.Currently,there are no effective testing methods for the characteristic parameters of the rock mass structural plane in underground engineering.The paper presents the digital drilling technology as a new testing method of rock mass structural planes.Flawed rock specimens with cracks of varying widths and angles were used to simulate the rock mass structural planes,and the multifunctional rock mass digital drilling test system was employed to carry out the digital drilling tests.The analysis focuses on the variation laws of drilling parameters,such as drilling pressure and drilling torque,affected by the characteristics of prefabricated cracks,and clarifies the degradation mechanism of rock equivalent compressive strength.Additionally,an identification model for the characteristic parameters of rock mass structural planes during drilling is established.The test results indicate that the average difference of the characteristics of prefabricated cracks identified by the equivalent compressive strength is 2.45°and 0.82 mm,respectively.The identification model while drilling is verified to be correct due to the high identification accuracy.Based on this,a method for testing the characteristic parameters of the surrounding rock structural plane while drilling is proposed.The research offers a theoretical and methodological foundation for precise in situ identification of structural planes of the surrounding rock in underground engineering.

Research progress and development of deep and ultra-deep drilling fluid technology

The research progress of deep and ultra-deep drilling fluid technology systematically reviewed,the key problems existing are analyzed,and the future development direction is proposed.In view of the high temperature,high pressure and high stress,fracture development,wellbore instability,drilling fluid lost circulation and other problems faced in the process of deep and ultra-deep complex oil and gas drilling,scholars have developed deep and ultra-deep high-temperature and high-salt resistant water-based drilling fluid technology,high-temperature resistant oil-based/synthetic drilling fluid technology,drilling fluid technology for reservoir protection and drilling fluid lost circulation control technology.However,there are still some key problems such as insufficient resistance to high temperature,high pressure and high stress,wellbore instability and serious lost circulation.Therefore,the development direction of deep and ultra-deep drilling fluid technology in the future is proposed:(1)The technology of high-temperature and high-salt resistant water-based drilling fluid should focus on improving high temperature stability,improving rheological properties,strengthening filtration control and improving compatibility with formation.(2)The technology of oil-based/synthetic drilling fluid resistant to high temperature should further study in the aspects of easily degradable environmental protection additives with low toxicity such as high temperature stabilizer,rheological regulator and related supporting technologies.(3)The drilling fluid technology for reservoir protection should be devoted to the development of new high-performance additives and materials,and further improve the real-time monitoring technology by introducing advanced sensor networks and artificial intelligence algorithms.(4)The lost circulation control of drilling fluid should pay more attention to the integration and application of intelligent technology,the research and application of high-performance plugging materials,the exploration of diversified plugging techniques and methods,and the improvement of environmental protection and production safety awareness.

Integrated design and control technology of liner completion and drilling for horizontal wells

Aiming at the problems of large load of rotation drive system,low efficiency of torque transmission and high cost for operation and maintenance of liner steering drilling system for the horizontal well,a new method of liner differential rotary drilling with double tubular strings in the horizontal well is proposed.The technical principle of this method is revealed,supporting tools such as the differential rotation transducer,composite rotary steering system and the hanger are designed,and technological process is optimized.A tool face control technique of steering drilling assembly is proposed and the calculation model of extension limit of liner differential rotary drilling with double tubular strings in horizontal well is established.These results show that the liner differential rotary drilling with double tubular strings is equipped with measurement while drilling(MWD)and positive displacement motor(PDM),and directional drilling of horizontal well is realized by adjusting rotary speed of drill pipe to control the tool face of PDM.Based on the engineering case of deep coalbed methane horizontal well in the eastern margin of Ordos Basin,the extension limit of horizontal drilling with double tubular strings is calculated.Compared with the conventional liner drilling method,the liner differential rotary drilling with double tubular strings increases the extension limit value of horizontal well significantly.The research findings provide useful reference for the integrated design and control of liner completion and drilling of horizontal wells.

Digital monitoring of rotary-percussive drilling with down-the-hole hammer for profiling weathered granitic ground

Rock and geotechnical engineering investigations involve drilling holes in ground with or without retrieving soil and rock samples to construct the subsurface ground profile.On the basis of an actual soil nailing drilling for a slope stability project in Hong Kong,this paper further develops the drilling process monitoring(DPM)method for digitally profiling the subsurface geomaterials of weathered granitic rocks using a compressed airflow driven percussive-rotary drilling machine with down-the-hole(DTH)hammer.Seven transducers are installed on the drilling machine and record the chuck displacement,DTH rotational speed,and five pressures from five compressed airflows in real-time series.The mechanism and operations of the drilling machine are elaborated in detail,which is essential for understanding and evaluating the drilling data.A MATLAB program is developed to automatically filter the recorded drilling data in time series and classify them into different drilling processes in sub-time series.These processes include penetration,push-in with or without rod,pull-back with or without rod,rod-tightening and rod-untightening.The drilling data are further reconstructed to plot the curve of drill-bit depth versus the net drilling time along each of the six drillholes.Each curve is found to contain multiple linear segments with a constant penetration rate,which implies a zone of homogenous geomaterial with different weathering grades.The effect from fluctuation of the applied pressures is evaluated quantitatively.Detailed analyses are presented for accurately assess and verify the underground profiling and strength in weathered granitic rock,which provided the basis of using DPM method to confidently assess drilling measurements to interpret the subsurface profile in real time.

A novel responsive stabilizing Janus nanosilica as a nanoplugging agent in water-based drilling fluids for exploiting hostile shale environments

Thermo-responsive nanocomposites have recently emerged as potential nanoplugging agents for shale stabilization in high-temperature water-based drilling fluids(WBDFs). However, their inhibitory properties have not been very effective in high-temperature drilling operations. Thermo-responsive Janus nanocomposites are expected to strongly interact with clay particles from the inward hemisphere of nanomaterials, which drive the establishment of a tighter hydrophobic membrane over the shale surface at the outward hemisphere under geothermal conditions for shale stabilization. This work combines the synergistic benefits of thermo-responsive and zwitterionic nanomaterials to synchronously enhance the chemical inhibitions and plugging performances in shale under harsh conditions. A novel thermoresponsive Janus nanosilica(TRJS) exhibiting zwitterionic character was synthesized, characterized,and assessed as shale stabilizer for WBDFs at high temperatures. Compared to pristine nanosilica(Si NP)and symmetrical thermo-responsive nanosilica(TRS), TRJS exhibited anti-polyelectrolyte behaviour, in which electrolyte ions screened the electrostatic attraction between the charged particles, potentially stabilizing nanomaterial in hostile shaly environments(i.e., up to saturated brine or API brine). Macroscopically, TRJS exhibited higher chemical inhibition than Si NP and TRS in brine, prompting a better capability to control pressure penetration. TRJS adsorbed onto the clay surface via chemisorption and hydrogen bonding, and the interactions became substantial in brine, according to the results of electrophoretic mobility, surface wettability, and X-ray diffraction. Thus, contributing to the firm trapping of TRJS into the nanopore structure of the shale, triggering the formation of a tight hydrophobic membrane over the shale surface from the outward hemisphere. The addition of TRJS into WBDF had no deleterious effect on fluid properties after hot-treatment at 190℃, implying that TRJS could find potential use as a shale stabilizer in WBDFs in hostile environments.

Chemical modification of barite for improving the performance of weighting materials for water-based drilling fluids

With increasing drilling depth and large dosage of weighting materials,drilling fluids with high solid content are characterized by poor stability,high viscosity,large water loss,and thick mud cake,easier leading to reservoir damage and wellbore instability.In this paper,micronized barite(MB)was modified(mMB)by grafting with hydrophilic polymer onto the surface through the free radical polymerization to displace conventional API barite partly.The suspension stability of water-based drilling fluids(WBDFs)weighted with API barite:mMB=2:1 in 600 g was significantly enhanced compared with that with API barite/WBDFs,exhibiting the static sag factor within 0.54 and the whole stability index of 2.The viscosity and yield point reached the minimum,with a reduction of more than 40%compared with API barite only at the same density.Through multi-stage filling and dense accumulation of weighting materials and clays,filtration loss was decreased,mud cake quality was improved,and simultaneously it had great reservoir protection performance,and the permeability recovery rate reached 87%.In addition,it also effectively improved the lubricity of WBDFs.The sticking coefficient of mud cake was reduced by 53.4%,and the friction coefficient was 0.2603.Therefore,mMB can serve as a versatile additive to control the density,rheology,filtration,and stability of WBDFs weighted with API barite,thus regulating comprehensive performance and achieving reservoir protection capacity.This work opened up a new path for the productive drilling of extremely deep and intricate wells by providing an efficient method for managing the performance of high-density WBDFs.

Hole cleaning evaluation and installation spacing optimization of cuttings bed remover in extended-reach drilling

In extended-reach or long-horizontal drilling,cuttings usually deposit at the bottom of the annulus.Once cuttings accumulate to a certain thickness,complex problems such as excessive torque and drag,tubing buckling,and pipe stuck probably occur,which results in a lot of non-productive time and remedial operations.Cuttings bed remover can efficiently destroy deposited cuttings in time through hydraulic and mechanical stirring effects.This paper aims to build a method for hole cleaning evaluation and installation spacing optimization of cuttings bed remover to improve the wellbore cleaning effect.Firstly,a Computational Fluid Dynamics approach with Eulerian—Eulerian multiphase model was utilized to investigate the mechanism of cuttings transportation,and a new type of cuttings bed remover was designed.Next,an evaluation method of hole cleaning effect of remover was established.After that,the effects of several drilling parameters on hole cleaning including flow rate of drilling fluid,rotational speed of drillpipe,rate of penetration,wellbore size,rheological property of drilling fluid,and remover eccentricity on the performance of cuttings bed remover were investigated.The results demonstrate that the new type of remover with streamline blade performs better than conventional removers.The efficiency of hole cleaning is greatly improved by increasing the rotational speed of drillpipe,flow rate of drilling fluid,remover eccentricity,and 6 rpm Fann dial reading for drilling fluid.While higher rate of penetration and large wellbore size result in worse hole cleaning.These findings can serve as an important guide for the structure optimization design of cuttings bed remover and installation spacing of removers.

Inverting the rock mass P-wave velocity field ahead of deep buried tunnel face while borehole drilling

Imaging the wave velocity field surrounding a borehole while drilling is a promising and urgently needed approach for extending the exploration range of the borehole point.This paper develops a drilling process detection(DPD)system consisting of a multifunctional sensor and a pilot geophone installed at the top of the drilling rod,geophones at the tunnel face,a laser rangefinder,and an onsite computer.A weighted adjoint-state first arrival travel time tomography method is used to invert the P-wave velocity field of rock mass while borehole drilling.A field experiment in the ongoing construction of a deep buried tunnel in southwestern China demonstrated the DPD system and the tomography method.Time-frequency analysis of typical borehole drilling detection data shows that the impact drilling source is a pulse-like seismic exploration wavelet.A velocity field of the rock mass in a triangular area defined by the borehole trajectory and geophone receiving line can be obtained.Both the borehole core and optical image validate the inverted P-wave velocity field.A numerical simulation of a checkerboard benchmark model is used to test the tomography method.The rapid convergence of the misfits and consistent agreement between the inverted and observed travel times validate the P-wave velocity imaging.